Patent EA-003156-B1 (EA)
Title: System and method for updating a remote database in a network
Inventor: NG MASON
IPC: G06F17/30
Filed: 1999-09-21
Abstract: 1. A computer-based method, comprising the steps of: using a browser to receive identification of a downloadable from a computer network; initiating execution of the downloadable; receiving information designating workspace data to be synchronized and designating a synchronization mode; using the Downloadable to instruct a personal information manager (PIM) to retrieve the workspace data to be synchronized; using the Downloadable to determine first update data based on the workspace data to be synchronized and on the synchronization mode; and using the Downloadable to deliver the first update data to a server database connected to the computer network. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization mode is one of one-way replace, one-way merge and two-way synchronization. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of communicating with the server database to learn the server database contents associated with the workspace data to be synchronized, and comparing the server database contents and the workspace data to be synchronized. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining first update data is based on the comparison. 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of determining second update data based on the comparison, and instructing the PIM to modify the workspace data to be synchronized by the second update data. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of downloading the downloadable from the server database. 7. A system, comprising: means for using a browser to receive identification of a downloadable from a computer network; means for initiating execution of the downloadable; means for receiving information designating workspace data to be synchronized and designating a synchronization mode; means for using the Downloadable to instruct a personal information manager (PIM) to retrieve the workspace data to be synchronized; means for using the Downloadable to determine first update data based on the workspace data to be synchronized and on the synchronization mode; and means for using the Downloadable to deliver the first update data to a server database connected to the computer network. 8. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of: using a browser to receive identification of a downloadable from a computer network; initiating execution of the downloadable; receiving information designating workspace data to be synchronized and designating a synchronization mode; using the Downloadable to instruct a personal information manager (PIM) to retrieve the workspace data to be synchronized; using the Downloadable to determine first update data based on the workspace data to be synchronized and on the synchronization mode; and using the Downloadable to deliver the first update data to a server database connected to the computer network. 9. A system, comprising: a downloadable including a user interface for receiving information designating workspace data to be synchronized and designating a synchronization mode; a PIM interface for instructing a personal information manager (PIM) to retrieve the workspace data to be synchronized; a synchronization module coupled to the user interface and the PIM interface for determining first update data based on the workspace data to be synchronized and on the synchronization mode; and a communications engine coupled to the synchronization module for delivering the first update data to a server database; and a browser for receiving identification of the downloadable from a computer network, and for initiating execution of the downloadable. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the synchronization mode is one of one-way replace, one-way merge and two-way synchronization. 11. The system of claim 9, wherein the synchronization module learns the server database contents corresponding to the workspace data to be synchronized, and compares the server database contents and the workspace data to be synchronized. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the synchronization module determines the first update data based on the comparison. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the synchronization module determines second update data based on the comparison, and instructs the PIM to modify the workspace data to be synchronized by the second update data. 14. The system of claim 9, wherein the Downloadable is downloaded from the server database. 15. Program code embodied in a carrier wave for controlling a computer to perform the steps of: receiving information designating workspace data to be synchronized and a synchronization mode; instructing a personal information manager (PIM) to retrieve the workspace data to be synchronized; determining first update data based on the workspace data to be synchronized and on the synchronization mode; and delivering the first update data to a server database. 16. A computer-based method, comprising the steps of: storing workspace data and a Downloadable; establishing a communications link with a client; receiving a request for synchronization capability from a client; forwarding the Downloadable which includes the synchronization capability to the client for installation; receiving update data from the Downloadable; and updating the workspace data based on the update data received. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the method is performed by a server coupled via a network to the client. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the workspace data is contained in a user data store. 19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of establishing a communications link with a client includes using URL technology. 20. The method of claim 16, wherein the request for synchronization capability includes information identifying a particular PIM for which synchronization is desired. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the information includes identification of a service, and wherein the particular PIM corresponding to the service is known. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of retrieving a Downloadable corresponding to the particular PIM. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the Downloadable retrieved includes an interface to the particular PIM. 24. The method of claim 16, wherein the Downloadable includes a user interface for enabling a user to select a synchronization mode and to designate a database containing workspace data to be synchronized. 25. The method of claim 16, wherein the Downloadable includes a synchronization module for computing the update data. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the synchronization module computes the update data based on one of one-way replace, one-way merge and two-way synchronization. 27. A system, comprising: means storing workspace data and a downloadable; means for establishing a communications link with a client; means for receiving a request for synchronization capability from the client; means for forwarding a Downloadable which includes the synchronization capability to the client for installation; means for receiving update data from the Downloadable; and means for updating the workspace data based on the update data received. 28. A system, comprising: memory storing workspace data and a PIM Downloadable; a web server for establishing a communications link with a client; a personal information manager (PIM) Downloadable retrieval engine coupled to the memory for receiving a request for synchronization capability from the client, and for forwarding the PIM downloadable which includes the synchronization capability to the client for installation; and a user data store manager coupled to the memory for receiving update data from the downloadable, and for updating the workspace data based on the update data received. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the workspace data is contained in a user data store. 30. The system of claim 28, wherein the web server establishes a communications link with a client using URL technology. 31. The system of claim 28, wherein the request for synchronization capability includes information identifying a particular PIM for which synchronization is desired. 32. The system of claim 31, wherein the information includes identification of a service, and wherein the particular PIM corresponding to the service is known. 33. The system of claim 32, wherein the memory stores a plurality of PIM Downloadables and wherein the PIM Downloadable retrieval engine retrieves a Downloadable corresponding to the particular PIM. 34. The system of claim 33, wherein the PIM Downloadable retrieved includes an interface to the particular PIM. 35. The system of claim 28, wherein the PIM Downloadable includes a user interface for enabling a user to select a synchronization mode and to designate a database containing the workspace data to be synchronized. 36. The system of claim 28, wherein the Downloadable includes a synchronization module for computing the update data. 37. The system of claim 36, wherein the synchronization module computes the update data based on one of one-way replace, one-way merge and two-way synchronization. 38. A computer-based method, comprising the steps of: establishing a communications link with a server storing workspace data; receiving identification of a PIM Downloadable; executing the PIM Downloadable to instruct a personal information manager (PIM) to retrieve PIM data; and executing the PIM Downloadable to update the workspace data stored on the server based on the retrieved PIM data. 39. The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of requesting synchronization capability for a particular PIM. 40. The method of claim 39, further comprising the steps of receiving and installing the PIM Downloadable from the server. 41. The method of claim 38, wherein the PIM Downloadable has already been installed. 42. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of requesting synchronization capability includes information identifying a particular PIM for which synchronizati